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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23729011">An Unpolished Reunion</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/wayward_soon/pseuds/wayward_soon'>wayward_soon</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Carry On Series - Rainbow Rowell</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>AU where everyone's happy and there's barely any angst, Agatha Wellbelove Finds Out, Agatha Wellbelove's Life in California, Anyways, Gals hanging out, Girls' Night, Just a fun time, Minor Tyrannus Basilton "Baz" Pitch/Simon Snow, Nail Polish, POV Agatha Wellbelove, POV First Person, Penelope Bunce &amp; Agatha Wellbelove Friendship, Swearing, because i started writing this before wayward son came out i made up my own roommates for agatha, it's first person i'm so sorry, like they're there but not for a lot, small amounts of angst, sorry they are Not Consistent :(</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-19</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-20 06:02:09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>4</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>6,008</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23729011</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/wayward_soon/pseuds/wayward_soon</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>A year after the events in Carry On, Agatha has burned all her bridges from Watford. One day, Penny shows up at her doorstep, and Agatha is forced to confront the past and present. </p><p>A short drabble that ended up getting longer than I thought it would be about the girls, Agatha and Penny, getting some time to hang out.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Penelope Bunce &amp; Agatha Wellbelove</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>34</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Collections:</b></td><td>Agatha Wellbelove fics</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>I started writing this before the release of Wayward Son (yes, that's how slow I am at writing), so this isn't consistent at all with the events of Wayward Son, but I guess it takes place in between Carry On and Wayward Son??????? It's more like Wayward Son doesn't really exist in this story I guess. I dunno, this is fiction, I can do whatever I want.</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Not to sound like an entitled rich girl from a 2000's movie, but I love my life.</p><p> </p><p>At least I do now. </p><p> </p><p>The breath of salty air. The mist of the ocean. The squishy sand between my toes. That's the life I have now. Far away from mages and vampires and anything not normal. A life that I can trust in appreciating and not have to worry about it slipping away from me in a painful burst of fire.</p><p> </p><p>One year ago, I was running for my life, running from a man I thought I trusted. One year ago, a goatherd saved my life in a chapel. One year ago, I was magic.</p><p> </p><p>Normals hear the word<em> magic </em> and immediately let themselves enjoy that positive connotation. Magic to them is sparkling, dazzling, and fantastical. Even the word <em> magical </em>is positive, reserved for Disney World and campfires and Broadway productions. </p><p> </p><p>Whatever. I don't have to deal with any of that bullshit now.</p><p> </p><p>My hands are pressed against the wooden windowsill of my dorm, my face lifted to the sky as I fill my lungs with fresh air. None of the air feels magical. And it's fantastic. No Humdrum emptiness either. Just normal air. Normal, what a beautiful word.</p><p> </p><p>My roommate calls from the other room. </p><p>"Agatha, I'm heating up that takeout for supper and you better appreciate it!"</p><p>"I will, god!" I yell back.</p><p> </p><p>When Midge first "made" dinner by heating up our leftover takeout, she made fun of me for the face I pulled.</p><p>"Oh my god, You look like you ate a lemon!"</p><p>"I just don't understand how this is edible."</p><p>"Sorry it's not your mom's cooking, but when you're in college, you gotta do what you gotta do."</p><p> </p><p>One year ago I ate at Watford, where the scones were stacked in pyramids and the sandwiches had every filling you could imagine. If something was even slightly cold, Penny would reheat it with her magical ring, until I told her to stop doing it with my food. It would always get too hot and, frankly, was a waste of magic.</p><p> </p><p>That's how Penny was. If you could look through a book yourself, Penny would <b>fine tooth comb</b> it. If you could wash your hands normally, Penny would <b>clean as a whistle</b> them. And I'm sure if Simon was able to control his magic, he'd be the same. </p><p> </p><p>But here we just use the microwave. Thank God.</p><p> </p><p>I peep around the corner and enter the kitchen, settling into a seat across from Midge at our mini dining table. The savory scent filling my lungs, I plunge a fork into the steaming lo mein. </p><p> </p><p>Munching the dry noodles, I ask Midge, "Have you seen Ashley or Jenna around?"</p><p>"Nah, still chained to the art building."</p><p>"Do they even come here anymore? I have a theory they sleep there."</p><p>"I know right! If anyone tells me art majors don't work hard, they're gonna catch these hands."</p><p> </p><p>I nod in agreement, secretly glad our other roommates are rarely here. Ashley’s nice, but she’s so smart she reminds me of Penny. And Jenna’s fun, but she’s always asking me for my opinion on her art, and she never lets me get away with simply telling her it’s good. </p><p> </p><p>I carry my now empty bowl to the sink to clean up.</p><p>"I got some cookies from Dollar Tree," Midge says. "Also some Junior Mints to sneak into the movies." </p><p>"What are we even seeing?" I ask, scrubbing the bowl under the stream of warm water.</p><p>"<em> Bewitched 3 </em>! Duh!"</p><p>"Is it even going to be any different than the first two?"</p><p>"What? It'll be <em> so </em>different. It's the finale, so Sapphire will defeat Gloombor and we’ll finally get a happily ever after. At least I hope so. Sad endings are lame."</p><p>"Hmm," I simply say. </p><p> </p><p>I couldn't watch the second <em> Bewitched </em> movie when it came to theaters. It was released not long after I first came to California, and back then, I couldn't watch any fantasy movies with magic involved. Brought up too many bad memories. I'm better now—although Midge forced me to watch <em> Bewitched 2 </em> a couple of weeks ago and I kept flinching whenever someone shot a dangerous spell at another. Midge had laughed at me and said, "Calm down, Agatha! No one's gonna cast a spell on you!"</p><p> </p><p>When I was still a Watford student, I invited Penny to watch the first<em> Bewitched </em> film with me. It wasn't really my idea. My mom thought I was spending too much of my summer with Normals, as if Normal friends would just suck the magic out of me. I said whatever, bought two tickets to <em> Bewitched, </em> and brought Penny along with me. Maybe I picked that film in some kind of teen defiance, but I don't really know why.</p><p> </p><p>After we left the theater, Penny had talked my ear off about all the inaccuracies in the film as we waited outside for my mum to pick us up from the theater.</p><p> </p><p>"Why do they keep chanting nonsense words? What power lies in <em> fiffliedum </em> and <em> gibberidid </em> if no one uses those words?"</p><p>"I don't know, Penny," I said, focusing more of my attention to the scrap of gum lying on the pavement. </p><p>"And why did Sapphire tell everyone and their mum that she was a mage—oh, I mean, <em> witch </em>," she added with sarcastic flair. </p><p>"I don't know, Penny."</p><p>"It's like the producers have never seen a spell casted in their lives."</p><p>"Isn't that kind of the point? Us being all secretive about magic must be working if the Normals think this is how magic works."</p><p>"I guess," Penny admitted. "But if I see magic represented by yellow sparkles one more time I will lose my mind."</p><p> </p><p>Midge sits at the table, scrolling through the<em> Bewitched </em> hashtag and muttering <em> gibberidid </em> under her breath. </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Chapter 2</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Alright, I'll be back at 9, and then we can get to the theater," announces Midge, swinging her book bag over her shoulder.</p><p>"Okay then," I say, my back to her as I proudly examine my cleaned dishes. </p><p> </p><p>She heads out the door.</p><p> </p><p>I retreat to my room, where a familiar and adorable face greets me.</p><p> </p><p>"Hey Lucy Baby!" I exclaim, wrapping my arms around the fluffy dog. </p><p> </p><p>I don't know if dogs are allowed in our dorms, but I never bothered checking the rules. Lucy was going to stay with me no matter what. She's not loud, and everyone who knows about her loves her, so I don't think I'll get reported any time soon. Even if I did, I'd just get her registered as an emotional support animal. She’s practically already one.</p><p> </p><p>Besides my letters of recommendation, Lucy is one of two things from Watford I brought with me; I didn't even bring any of my lacrosse merchandise. I found Lucy outside the White Chapel the last day I was on Watford grounds. Midge always teases me because it sounds as if I stole a dog, but no one near Watford claimed to be missing a dog like her. And I wasn’t about to leave her abandoned.</p><p> </p><p>I sit there, absorbing Lucy's warmth for a while before standing up and moving to my dresser, where the one other thing from Watford resides. </p><p> </p><p>Lucy, the real, human, Lucy, smiles at the camera. She's trapped in the frame, but her smile seems to fill the whole room. Yellow hair falling around her face, she grasps the Mage's (or, Davy's, I guess) hand. The one who escaped. The one who refused magic. Lucy. </p><p>Lucy the dog nuzzles my foot.</p><p> </p><p>"You wanna go for a walk, girl?"</p><p> </p><p>Her ears perk up, and she excitedly runs out my room to the front door. I laugh and follow her out, grabbing her leash off a hook beside the door on my way out.</p><p> </p><p>I swing open the door, my lungs already opening as they await fresh air. I'm about to step onto the pavement until I slam into someone. </p><p> </p><p>Disoriented, my eyes take a second to focus on the person I ran into.</p><p> </p><p>Penny is standing on my doorstep. </p><p> </p><p>"Hey Agatha, I--"</p><p> </p><p>Fuck no. I shove Lucy into my arms and slam the door in Penny's face before darting into my room. The hairs on my arms rise. My feet are burning. As soon as I get to my room, I shut my bedroom door behind me. Leaning on the door, I slide down until I'm sitting with my back against it. </p><p> </p><p>Lucy leaps out of my arms and stares up at me curiously. I wave her away and slump further against the door, letting the back of my head touch it. I stare at my shaking fingertips and bite back tears. Has Penny taken Simon's role in showing up in places you shouldn't? I thought I could at least escape the <em> people </em>of Watford. I told myself I wouldn't even text them until I graduated. </p><p> </p><p>Why does Penny have to fuck that up now?</p><p> </p><p>"Agatha? You alright? I just thought I'd stop by."</p><p>I don't answer her. I can't. That would make all this too real.</p><p>"Agatha? I know you haven't seen me in a while, but I thought it'd be nice if we caught up. You know, as friends."</p><p> </p><p>Friends. I don't know if Penny has ever called me that. To be fair, I don't think I have either. When I think about it, I wonder if we'd ever would've hung out if we hadn't met Simon. </p><p> </p><p>I peel myself off the ground and turn around to face the door. I grasp the doorknob, listening to my deep breaths. Christ, I’m so weak. How can I say I've been getting better if I can't even face Penny? </p><p> </p><p>Penny knocks on the door. That girl wouldn't give up on an eighth century spell. How did I expect her to give up on this?</p><p> </p><p>I approach the front door. My stomach falls, and I wonder if I'm breathing. When my hand feels the cold metal doorknob, Penny knocks on the door somehow louder than the beat of my heart. I lick my dry lips and open the door.</p><p> </p><p>There Penny stands, her lips pursed, like she's trying far too hard not to smile. Her brown, unruly hair is pulled back into a ponytail, and her glasses sit off the center of her nose. My eyes descend to some cardboard cake box in her arms.</p><p> </p><p>"I brought biscuits."</p><p>"We already have cookies," I say, stupidly.</p><p>"Oh," she says, her eyes falling to the ground.</p><p>"But we could use more," I weakly offer.</p><p>"Oh," she says again and holds the box out. </p><p> </p><p>I take it from her. We stare at each other for a second until I realize I never invited her inside.</p><p> </p><p>"Oh, you can come in." I step aside and awkwardly gesture her in.</p><p>"Thanks." Penny enters my dorm, looking around herself and taking in the surroundings. I sigh in relief that we've been keeping the place clean. I glare at the Butterfinger wrapper by the sink. </p><p>"So this is where you've been crashing all this time?" asks Penny. </p><p>"Yeah. I have three roommates but two of them are usually not home."</p><p>"Why?" she asks with far too much concern.</p><p>"Uh, they're just so busy with art..." I say. </p><p>"Oh, art."</p><p>"Yeah."</p><p> </p><p>Wonderful. We're back to awkward silence. Great job at moving on, Agatha.</p><p> </p><p>"You, uh, wanna see my room?" I ask. God, I feel like I'm ten again and trying to make friends with cousins I haven't seen in years.</p><p>"Sure." I can tell she's just hoping this will keep the conversation going.</p><p> </p><p>I lead her to my bedroom. When I open my door, Lucy, ever a great ball of fluff, runs toward us.</p><p> </p><p>Penny gasps and crouches down to pet her. </p><p> </p><p>"Aww, hello there," she says as Lucy proudly wags her tail. </p><p>"Her name's Lucy." </p><p>"Huh. That sounds familia—," she starts to say, but Lucy puts her paws on Penny's chest, earning another aw.</p><p>"When did you get her?"</p><p>"Oh, um... I found her the night when..." My voice trails away. I suddenly realize I haven't said anything out loud about that night since it happened. My mum doesn't even bring it up when she calls.</p><p>"...you know..." I finish.</p><p> </p><p>Penny tilts her head. Ugh, was she really going to make me say it out loud?</p><p> </p><p>"The mage...and the chapel..."</p><p>"Oh!" Penny finally understands.</p><p>"Yeah."</p><p> </p><p>I sit on my bed awkwardly. Penny somehow tears herself away from Lucy and starts peering around my room.</p><p> </p><p>She inspects the lamp-lit dresser on the opposite wall of my bed, her pointer finger skimming the air above my various knick-knacks. Her finger hovers over seashells, dog treats, a photo frame, textbooks, and envelopes, and she pauses at a long brown box covered in dust.</p><p> </p><p>"Don't touch that," I say on impulse.</p><p>"Why? It's just your<em> wand</em>," Penny says.</p><p> </p><p>I cringe at the word <em> wand </em>. I swear she stressed it just to annoy me. </p><p> </p><p>"Sorry, I'm just used to making sure my roommates don't see it," I answer.</p><p>"I wouldn't have thought you would bring it."</p><p>"I didn't. My mum sent it."</p><p>"It's covered in dust...how come you never used it?"</p><p>"Why the fuck would I do that?" I suddenly snap. "I live with Normals, and I don't exactly have any classes with Miss Possibelf."</p><p>"I was just wondering," Penny sheepishly mumbles. "You could practise." She carefully takes the wand out of its box and holds it in her ring hand. </p><p>"Practise for what? I don't know how things are in England now, but I'm not typically running away from dragons here."</p><p>"Well, it makes chores a little easier..." her voice trails off.</p><p> </p><p>I don't bother to argue. Penny looks at my wand strangely. </p><p>"I wonder how using two magickal artifacts at once will affect a spell..." she says thoughtfully.</p><p> </p><p>I groan. </p><p>"What?" she asks.</p><p>"No, go ahead. Do some experiments and figure out this new mystery. God, you really didn't change, did you?"</p><p>"Well, I'm sorry, but some of us are used to solving mysteries to stay alive and keep everyone else safe,  while other people just sit and watch it happen."</p><p>"And I'm sorry that some people don't want to risk their lives for a cause made up by a lunatic."</p><p>"At least we did something about it! If it wasn't for us, the Humdrum would still be out there!"</p><p>"You didn't have to lick the Mage's boots to stop the Humdrum."</p><p>"Well, at least we tried to do something!"</p><p>"So did I. I tried and tried to get out of this hell of a life for so long. And now I have and that's how my story will end."</p><p>"What was so bad about it? You hardly did anything."</p><p>"You aren’t the one who was almost murdered by the Mage."</p><p> </p><p>With that, Penny finally shuts up. </p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0003"><h2>3. Chapter 3</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>She holds my wand for god knows how long, turning it over and inspecting every inch of it. At some point, she sits herself down at the foot of the bed while I remain at the head. Eventually I grab a magazine off the floor and flip through the pages. It's some nail art magazine that Ashley or Jenna must've left behind at some point.</p><p> </p><p>After Penny successfully memorizes every atom of my wand, she leans toward me to peep at what I was reading. </p><p> </p><p>"What's that?" she asks.</p><p>"One of my roommate's magazines. I think it's Jenna's. She's more into this nail art stuff than Ashley."</p><p> </p><p>Penny silently scoots closer to me to get a better look at the pages. We pursue it without speaking for a while until Penny excitedly points at a page.</p><p> </p><p>"That's incredible!" she says, and I look at what her finger is laying on.</p><p> </p><p>The photo shows nails with green vines carefully painted onto a blue and purple background. The vines have brilliant detail to them, with realistic leaves sprouting from the main stem and tiny flowers peeking through the green. The background is just as impressive, with a detailed night sky of glittering stars shining amid a cloudy night. Not only that, but the vines also connect to one another from nail to nail, forming a single beautiful painting.</p><p> </p><p>"It's pretty cool," I admit. </p><p>"We should make that!" says Penny.</p><p>"What?"</p><p>"We should recreate that on our own nails! Do you have nail polish?"</p><p>"Uh...yeah but—"</p><p>"Then let's do it!" Penny is already jumping off the bed and searching for nail polish.</p><p>"It's...um...over there," I point out a drawer on her right.</p><p>"Thanks." She gathers up the polish and turns back to face the bed once more.</p><p>"Uh...Penny?" I start.</p><p>"Yeah?"</p><p>"You're not going to use magic with this right? I know it'll be easier if you use magic, but I was kinda hoping..."</p><p>"No problem." She waves me off. "It won't be fun that way. Here." Penny grabs my wand, which she had left on the bed, and returns it to its box. </p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>I don't think there's any empty space left on my floor. Penny had covered the floor in paper towels to avoid spills, and nail polish sits in piles around my bed. Handfuls of cotton swabs and sponges are scattered everywhere, and a lone bottle of nail polish remover lies against my dresser. Penny, on the floor, lays on her stomach as she scrolls away on my laptop, her legs kicking up and swinging in excitement. After a diligent search of the house, Penny had snatched our single box of toothpicks, and those, of course, also joined the other objects sprinkled all over the floor.</p><p> </p><p>"Do you have any toothpicks?" she had asked me.</p><p>"Maybe? I think Ashley needed some for something she was baking? I'm not really sure," I said. "Why?"</p><p>"This website lists all these products to paint fine lines with, but I don't think you have any of those, so I figured toothpicks should work, right?" At this point, Penny had grabbed my laptop and searched for nail art tips online.</p><p>"I mean, I guess. I don't know much about this stuff. And I don’t even know where they are."</p><p>"Well, I guess we'll have to find them then!" she said before leading me in the most ridiculous search ever.</p><p> </p><p>She asked me constant questions as if I were a suspect in a case. After answering "I dunno" to a million variations of the question "where did you last see them?" I joined her in analyzing each and every cabinet in our kitchen, finding unopened packages of raisins and crushed crackers but no toothpicks. </p><p> </p><p>As Penny began formatting a new plan, I wandered around the flat, glancing at all its nooks and crannies. At some point, I spotted a drawer under our coffee table. Without thinking much of it, I pulled it open and found a small cardboard box. There it is. </p><p> </p><p>"You found them?" asked Penny when I presented the toothpicks to her.</p><p>"Yep."</p><p>"How?"</p><p>"I dunno. I wasn't really thinking. It just happened randomly I guess."</p><p>"Huh. Well, it works!" she declared before grabbing the toothpicks and practically skipping to my bedroom.</p><p> </p><p>Now, as she rests her chin on her hand and absorbs the information on the laptop screen, is when I realize that she could have spelled <b>come out come out wherever you are</b> any time she wanted.</p><p>
  <br/>
  <br/>
</p><p>"Alright, now we just need to do the leaves and flowers," says Penny, pulling herself away from the computer and turning to sit across from me on the floor.</p><p>"The most difficult part, you mean," I say.</p><p>"At least we kinda got the basics."</p><p> </p><p>That's true at least. The background of a night sky as well as a thick green line is painted on our nails. Penny's toothpick method worked somewhat, but our vines ended up being much bigger and awkward then they were meant to be. At least the background looks decent. I never knew the importance of sponges and nail polish remover until now. And, I gotta say, it's much more fun to do stuff with Penny when we're <em> both </em>clueless and the situation isn't life threatening. </p><p> </p><p>"We might as well just jump into it," Penny says, trusty toothpick in hand.</p><p>"Alright," I say as I scoot closer to her, allowing her access to my nails. We discovered we liked doing each other's nails more than doing our own quite early on in the process, once we learned how difficult it was to paint on our dominant hands. Besides, as Penny puts it, it's like we have our own beauty salon.</p><p> </p><p>Penny gently holds my hand steady with one of her hands and presses the paint-dipped toothpick onto my nail with the other. The pink paint barely touches my nail when Penny's mobile buzzes.</p><p> </p><p>"Oh! Sorry, I better check that. Could be nothing or Simon could be dying," she sarcastically says as she releases my hand and reaches for her phone.</p><p>"Still looking after him, huh?" I say.</p><p>"It's no big deal. I don't know what I'd do with myself if I wasn't looking out for his head constantly." She starts entering her passcode. "Not that our problems right now are as deadly as before but..."</p><p> </p><p>I smile.</p><p> </p><p>"Ugh!" Penny groans. "Just a stupid lovey-dovey picture of Simon and Baz again! They only send me these to annoy me, and, frankly, it's working."</p><p>"What?" I ask. Did she just say lovey-dovey? In reference to Simon and Baz? I must've heard her wrong.</p><p>"Have a look." She turns her phone's screen to face me. "The winky faces especially grind my gears."</p><p> </p><p>I peer at her screen. Appeared is a photo sent from Simon in a group chat called "the mage hate club." The photo shows Simon and Baz in each other's arms, Simon holding the camera with a huge grin on his face and Baz planting a kiss on Simon's cheek. Underneath the photo is a text, also from Simon, reading, "have a great trip to america penny! we know how much you love these photos ;) dont worry we'll flirt plenty irl when you get back ;))))))))". </p><p> </p><p>"In hindsight, maybe I shouldn't have told them off about it when they sent me the first one when I was at the airport. The more I try to cease their flirting, the more heart emojis they use," Penny rants then pulls her phone back to herself when it's certain I've seen and read the text.</p><p>"I'm sorry, what?"</p><p>"I know! And then Baz jokingly calls me homophobic when I'm not! I hate couples flirting near me in general, straight or otherwise. And they should really understand tha—"</p><p>"No! I mean," I interrupt. "Simon and Baz are dating?"</p><p> </p><p>Penny pales. She slowly puts her phone down and lets her eyes focus on the floor.</p><p> </p><p>"Shit," she mutters.</p><p>"What the...why would they...huh?"</p><p>"I'm so sorry. I forgot you didn't know. Most people from Watford found out after the Leavers Ball because Simon and Baz went together, but you were gone before then."</p><p> </p><p>I stare at her for a moment. Then the corners of my mouth begin to raise. And a smile creeps across my face. A chuckle breaks out as I shake my head.</p><p> </p><p>"Agatha...you okay?" asks Penny. She reaches an arm out and gently places it on my shoulder. I can’t see her face, but I know it’s riddled with confusion based on her tone..</p><p> </p><p>I give out a hearty laugh and wrap my arms around her in a big hug.</p><p> </p><p>"Never better," I manage to say.</p><p>"Then why<span>—</span>"</p><p>"My god, of course this would happen. Of course Simon would end up in a situation like this. God, why didn't I think of it sooner? I thought Simon had run out of ways to surprise me, but here we are."</p><p>"You're not mad?"</p><p>"At what? For you not telling me? I can't be mad at that. I'm the one who never answered your texts."</p><p>"No, I mean...aren't you upset that Simon is dating Baz? Are you not bothered by it?"</p><p>"Hardly. In case you couldn't tell, I find this absolutely hilarious. My ex-boyfriend dating the guy he swore was his enemy. Jesus, can Simon's life be any more dramatic?"</p><p>"Heh, true," Penny says.</p><p>"So, what? Is Simon gay now? Did I make him gay? I guess that doesn't do much for my self confidence."</p><p>"Oh God don't bring<em> that </em> up." Penny laughs. "Simon knows as much about his sexuality as I do. Which is nothing at all."</p><p>"Of course he does." I stare at the phone sitting in Penny's hands for a minute. "I guess I should have gotten in touch."</p><p>"Oh, well it would've been nice, but you didn't really have to. Especially after everything that happened."</p><p>"Still." My eyes stay glued to Penny's mobile. "Maybe I should call him."</p><p> </p><p>Penny looks down at her mobile, taps the screen a bit, and passes it to me.</p><p> </p><p>"Here, use my phone."</p><p>"I have my own, you know."</p><p>"Yeah, but do you know where it is?"</p><p> </p><p>I look around at the clutter engulfing my room, skimming the surfaces to try and spot my phone. After failing in that regard, I sigh and grab Penny's phone. </p><p> </p><p>As I'm about to call Simon, Penny suggests that I facetime him instead since "it's been so long, you might as well see and hear him." I comply and wait for Simon to pick up. Penny scoots over to sit next to me so that we're both seen in the front-view camera. </p><p> </p><p>I hope she doesn’t realize how fast my heart is racing. I never thought I’d be so scared to see Simon, of all people. Part of me wants to hang up, but Penny’s definitely in her “we’re doing this thing and I will not cease until it’s finished” mode. And, besides, I was serious when I said it earlier. I <em> should </em>call him. For all I know, he could be missing a leg. </p><p> </p><p>When the dialing finally finishes, the screen changes to Simon lounging on the couch, his face far too close to the camera. </p><p> </p><p>"Agatha?" he asks, bringing his face even closer to the camera, as if it will help him see better.</p><p>"Hey."</p><p>"Simon, would you please back away from the camera? I can see your nose hairs!" Penny says.</p><p>"Oh am I too close? Sorry." He then proceeded to bring his face even closer until only his nose filled the screen.</p><p>"Simon!" Penny shouts, exasperated. </p><p>"Is that Bunce?" a familiar voice asks in the background of Simon's end. </p><p> </p><p>Simon finally backs his face away to answer, "Yeah, and Agatha too."</p><p> </p><p>"Wellbelove? I thought Bunce only went to America to visit Micah." At this point, it's pretty obvious that Baz is the one speaking.</p><p>"I dunno, come say hi!" Simon pats the empty space next to him on the couch.</p><p>"Fine." Baz slides next to Simon, and both of their faces fill the frame.</p><p>"So," I say.</p><p>"So," says Baz.</p>
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<a name="section0004"><h2>4. Chapter 4</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>The screen on Penny's phone is black. Our reflections stare back at us through the glass. I wonder if I've ever seen Simon that happy. I wonder if I've ever heard Baz laugh that hard. </p><p> </p><p>Or at all.</p><p> </p><p>I think what shocks me more than Simon and Baz dating is that Simon doesn’t have his magic anymore. I can’t imagine Simon without magic. Penny always used to say he <em> was </em>magic, and the way it felt to be around him at Watford only reinforced that. </p><p> </p><p>"Exploded anything after I left?" I had asked him, when the video chat was still going on.</p><p>He shook his head. "Nope. Can't."</p><p>"Can't? Whaddya mean?"</p><p>"Uh, well..." he looked off to the side. Baz placed his hand on Simon's shoulder, offering support. Simon sighed and turned to face the camera once more.</p><p>"I don't know if you ever found out how we stopped the Humdrum, but...I mean, obviously you don't know because then you wouldn't have asked. What am I saying? Ugh, I'm so stupid."</p><p> </p><p>I raised my eyebrows. </p><p> </p><p>"Anyways," he continued. "The short version is that the Humdrum was a hole, and I had to um...fill it."</p><p>"That's what she said," muttered Penny.</p><p>"And I had to fill it with my magic."</p><p>"Cuz Simon's magic caused the hole," Penny chimed in, far too cheerfully.</p><p>"Yeah...and so, I lost my magic," he finished and stared at his lap.</p><p> </p><p>I had looked at him for a moment. "You must miss it, huh?"</p><p>"I mean, it's not like it made my life any more convenient or anything."</p><p>"Yeah, but you, ya know, <em> were </em>magic."</p><p>Simon laughed. "I was a <em> destroyer </em> of magic."</p><p> </p><p>I smirked.</p><p> </p><p>"I get what you mean though," he said. "My flatmate's constant use of magic is a bit envy-inducing."</p><p>"You never told me to stop!" Penny protested.</p><p>"But it's not like I could do magic the same way she could before I lost my magic anyways," he said. "But before, I just <em> failed </em> at magic, and now I <em> can't </em>do magic. And that feels a lot different."</p><p>"Now you're just a boy with dragon wings," Baz said, "and a dumbass tail."</p><p>"D...dragon wings?" I asked.</p><p>"Maybe we'll explain that another time," said Penny.</p><p> </p><p>I shook my head, bewildered. Clearly, I missed a lot. </p><p> </p><p>"What do you like about magic so much anyway, Simon?" I ask.</p><p>"Merlin, just the feeling of it. Being surrounded by it, especially at school. And the fact that I was special like them. That I was a mage. </p><p> </p><p>"I was never any good at it, but I was, like, a part of something. And when I connected my magic with Baz, when I could feel the tiniest bit of what it would be like to have control over my magic, I never wanted anything more."</p><p> </p><p>I didn't bother asking what he meant by that last part. "Yeah, but, you having magic didn't really do you that much good."</p><p>"But the feeling of magic! Having all that energy and power available to you. Normals never get to experience that. They can only imagine. But we actually get to do it!</p><p> </p><p>"You know I grew up as a Normal, so I guess I loved it so much because I knew what it was like to not have magic. To only be able to imagine."</p><p> </p><p>I thought back to the <em> Bewitched </em> movies. "Normals really are obsessed with magic, huh?"</p><p>"Yeah." Simon chuckles. "but wouldn't you be? If you never got to know what it was like?"</p><p>"Maybe..."</p><p> </p><p>And then the conversation moved on from there. Until one person said "alright then!" and everyone gave their varied goodbyes, leaving me and Penny, once again, alone in my room.</p><p> </p><p>"Well that was quite the conversation, wasn't it?" Penny says to me, tossing her phone to the ground before standing up and stretching.</p><p>"Yeah," I say, getting up as well.</p><p> </p><p>As I pop my knuckles, I look at the clock hanging above my bed and gasp.</p><p> </p><p>"Ah! It's seven! Midge will be back soon to take us to see the film!"</p><p>"Oh, I'm sorry! I didn't know you had somewhere to be!" Penny fumbles around, trying to pick up the mess of paper towels, cotton swabs, toothpicks and other nail polish "necessities."</p><p>"No, it's okay. We'll have enough time to clean up, and..."</p><p> </p><p>I pause.</p><p> </p><p>"...and I'm glad you came."</p><p> </p><p>Penny looks at me and gives me a rare smile. Not a fake smile she hopes will make me excited for something I don't care about. Not a full-toothed grin to make her skip and give Simon a hug. Not an open-mouthed expression of joy when she gets an idea. A quiet, contented smile that, for once, warms me up enough to smile back.</p><p> </p><p>We clean up while chattering about every subject under the sun. By the time we go through the topics of Simon's wings, the antics of both of our flats, dogs, weird shit Americans do, and Baz’s vampirism, the room is clean and we're red in the face from laughing.</p><p> </p><p>I flop onto my now clean bed and release a sigh of relaxation. Penny lies down next to me so that we're facing opposite directions, my feet at the head of the bed and her feet at the foot of the bed and vice versa, our heads meeting in the middle. </p><p> </p><p>"It's a shame we never finished our nails," she says, raising her arm above us so we could both see the line of green on her nail, a vine lacking flowers or leaves.</p><p>"Oh, yeah."</p><p>"Well, it was fun anyway. I learned how to do an ombre." She drops her hand and lets it fall to the bed.</p><p> </p><p>We lay for a moment when something comes over me. I slowly peel myself from the bed and walk toward my dresser.</p><p> </p><p>"Whatcha doing, Agatha?" Penny lazily calls from the bed.</p><p>"Nothing," I say, pressing my hands on top of the wooden dresser, my back to Penny. </p><p> </p><p>I let my hands slowly crawl up to the chestnut-colored box sitting there. Removing the lid of the box, I slip my hand in and wrap my hand around a long stick.</p><p> </p><p>Not a stick. A wand.</p><p> </p><p>I hold it in my hand for a bit, blowing the dust off of it and feeling the magic in me already seeping into the wand, as if it's excited after being ignored for so long. I take a deep breath and smooth the top of the wand with my other hand. </p><p> </p><p>I turn to face Penny.</p><p> </p><p>She lifts up her head to see me. Her eyes widen, and she scrambles to sit up. </p><p> </p><p>"Agatha—"</p><p>"I don't..." I can't say anything else. </p><p> </p><p>I inch my way to the bed and sit down next to Penny. Without a word, I lift her hand with mine and point my wand at it.<em> Like flexing a muscle</em>, I think. <em> Just like ballet.</em></p><p> </p><p>Only, I hadn't exercised with this muscle in a while. </p><p> </p><p>"<b>Flower power</b>," I say, and tiny flowers appear on Penny's thumb nail, except only two show up. </p><p> </p><p>I breathe again and focus. <em> Flexing a muscle</em>. </p><p> </p><p>"<b>Flower power</b>." More flowers appear, better detailed and more numerous. </p><p> </p><p>Eventually, I make it all the way down to Penny's right pinky. I inspect all the flora, which are many different colors and sizes, but all have that basic flower shape, the kind you draw in primary school because you didn't know how to draw any other kind of flower.</p><p> </p><p>"They're beautiful," Penny says, bringing her hands closer to her to see them.</p><p>"Thanks."</p><p>"I've never heard of that spell before."</p><p> </p><p>I shrug. "My mum taught it to me. She's obsessed with cosmetic spells. I think I knew<b> Maybe it's Maybelline</b> before I knew <b>Open Sesame</b>."</p><p>Penny laughs, quietly. "Thanks for having me over. I'm assuming your flatmate will be here pretty soon."</p><p> </p><p>"Yeah, I guess so."</p><p> </p><p>Penny stands up, and I follow her out to the front door. We stand just outside the doorway. </p><p> </p><p>Salty ocean air reaches us.</p><p> </p><p>"I'll visit again soon," Penny promises.</p><p>"And I'll call you," I promise back.</p><p> </p><p>Just then, I notice Midge walking up to the doorstep, holding the strap of her bookbag.</p><p> </p><p>"Oh! Hey Midge," I say.</p><p>"Hey," she looks at Penny and I. "Are you ready for the movie?"</p><p>"Yep," I say. I turn to Penny, "Uh, well..."</p><p>"Goodbye," Penny says, and she brings me in close to give me a hug.</p><p> </p><p>I hug her back, and, strangely, it doesn't seem weird to me.</p><p> </p><p>"Goodbye," I say back. "I'll call, I promise."</p><p>"So do I," she says when we break apart. </p><p> </p><p>She walks away to presumably find her parking spot, or a bus stop. I suddenly realize that I don't remember if she knows how to drive. </p><p> </p><p>"So...who was that?" Midge asks as we pay for our popcorn.</p><p>"A friend from home," I say. </p><p> </p><p>We head to our theater and sit down to watch the previews of<em> Bewitched 3. </em></p><p> </p><p>"A good friend? You guys seemed close."</p><p> </p><p>I smile. </p><p> </p><p>"A best friend."</p>
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